Surgical splint



1933- J. .1. ETTINGER 1,921,987

SURGICAL SPLINT Original Filed May 14, 1950 L t: 3- g INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES SURGICAL SPL INT Joe J. Ettinger,Warsaw, Ind., assignor to Zimmer Manufacturing Company, Warsaw, Ind., aCorporation Application May 14, 1930. Serial No. 452,474 Renewed May 26,1933 5 Claims.

The invention relates to surgical splints and it is particularlydirected to appliances commonly referred to as aeroplane splints andadapted for use in connection with fractures of the shoulder. In suchsplint it is advantageous to provide means by which fixation of theupper extremity of the arm may be accomplished in abduction in fromsixty to one hundred degrees and in neutral or externally rotatedposition at the shoulder with or without traction on the arm and it isalso desirable to be able to support the forearm in the position ofmid-pronation and the hand in dorsi-fiexion, the several posltions beingelective.

The object of the present invention is to provide a splint of novel andefficient construction in having the above recited advantages and theinvention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which drawingFigure 1 is a plan view of the splint; Fig. 2 a front elevational viewof the same; Fig. 3 a side view of the splint, the forearm support beingomitted; Fig. 4 a cross-section on line 4-4 of Fig. Fig. 5 alongitudinal cross-section of the forearm bar; Fig. 6 a longitudinalcross-section of the adjustable upper arm support and Fig. '7 a planview of the traction bar.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the base is in twoparts,-the pelvic section 1 and the chest section 2. The pelvic sectionis formed to rest on and snugly fit the side of the pelvis and therebyaids in retaining the appliance in position and supporting the same atthe lower end thereof. This feature adds greatly to the comfort of thepatient. Two buckles 3, 4 are attached to the rear upper corner and rearedge of each end of the section 1 and a strap or belt is attached toboth buckles 3 and extends substantially horizontally around the pelvis.Another strap or belt is attached to the buckles 4 and extends over theopposite shoulder.

The section 1 is secured to a bar 5 having a longitudinal slot 6therein. This bar underlaps a longitudinally slotted bar 7 that issecured to the chest section 2 of the base. A bolt 3 extends through theslot 6 and through a hole in the bar 7, a wing nut 9 being carried bythe bolt, and a bolt loextends through the slot in the bar 7 and througha hole in the bar 5 and carries a wing nut 11. The two sections aretherefore adjustable toward and from each other to vary the length ofthe appliance in order to accommodate variations in the sizes ofpatients.

The section 2 is of proper width to provide the necessary bearingsurface on the chest without covering an excessive area thereof and itis secured to the body by straps secured to the buckles 12 and 13respectively, one strap ex- 0 tending around the body and the otherextending over the shoulder.

One leaf of a hinge 14 is secured to the upper end of the bar 7 and theother leaf 14 of the hinge is pivoted at 16 to a transversely concavedarm rest 15 that is secured to a bar 18. The pivot 16 extends throughthe bar 18 and the bottom of a channel 19 formed in the arm rest. A bolt20 also extends through the bottom of the channel and through atransverse slot in the 7 leaf 14 and carries a nut wing 21 by which tolock the arm rest to the leaf 14 in laterally swung or adjusted positionon the leaf. This pivotal and hinged connection of the arm rest to thebase provides a limited mobility of the arm in antero-posteriorposition. A reinforcing plate 22 is secured to the upper side of thebottom of the channel 19 by the pivot 16 and the rivets 23.

Longitudinal slots 24 are formed in the arm rest 15 and receive thebolts 25 which extend through openings in a second arm rest 26 havingthe longitudinal slots 27 therein. Bolts 25* extend through the slots 27and through openings in the arm rest 15. Each bolt 25, 25 carries a wingnut 28 by which the arm rests 15 and 26 are clamped together inlongitudinally adjusted position.

The arm rest 26 is secured by the rivets 29 to a bar 30, the bar beingdisposed in the channel 19 with the lower heads 29 of the rivets adaptedto extend into the channel. The bar 30 projects from the forward end ofthe arm rest 26 and an aperture 31 is formed therein to receive a bolt32 by which the forearm bar 33 is secured to the bar 30 in adjustedposition. The attachable end of the bar 33 is curved upwardly andslotted at 34 to receive the bolt 32. The curved end of the bar 33permits a wide variation in angularity of the bar 33 with respect to thebar 30. The

bar 33 is also slotted at 33 to receive the bolts 34 which bolts 34carry wing nuts 36 by which the piece 35 is locked to the bar 33 inlongitudinally adjusted position thereon. The face of the bar 33' thatcontacts with the bar 30 is large portion of its length, thebifurcations having more or less spring. This bar is inserted in thechannel 19 beneath the bar 30, and frictionally engages the wallsthereof so that after it is adjusted the traction producinginstrumentalities that are attached to the patients arm and to the bar37 will not cause longitudinal movement of the bar.

A threaded rod 38 is pivoted to the bar 18 and a threaded rod 39 ispivoted to a bracket 49 that is adjustably held on the overlapped bars 5and '7 by the bolt 8 and the wing nut thereon. The rods are connected bythe right and lei t screw sleeve 41 by turning which the angularity ofthe bar 18 with respect to the bar 7 is adjusted. This turnbucklesupports the arm rest in adduction and since its lower end is adjustableon the base the range of abduction of the arm is materially increased.

What I claim is:

l. A surgical splint comprising a base, an upper arm support mounted onthe base, a forearm support and a member on the r: support andprojecting rearwardly therefrom, the projecting end of the member beingcurved upwardly and slidable longitudinally 0' i on the upper armsupport when by to .11; any longitudinal inclination of the forearmsupport with respect to the upper arm support.

upper arm support to adjustably attach the bar to the upper arm supportin any angle of inclination thereto.

3. In a surgical splint, an upper arm support, a forearm supportengaging the outer end portion of the upper arm support and having anarcuate end portion held tangentially to the upper arm support, saidarcuate portion being movable to bring a selected portion intoengagement with the upper arm support to thereby tilt the forearmsupport, and means to secure the forearm support in adjusted position.

4.1a surgical splint comprising a base, an upper arm support mounted onthe base and having a longitudinal slot in its outer portion, a forearmsupport including an arcuate end portion engaging the upper arm supportat the slotted portion, said arcuate end portion being longitudinallyslotted, and a clamping bolt extending through said slots to hold theforearm support in adjusted position relative to the upper arm support.

5. In a surgical splint, an anchor member having rests-secured theretoapplicable to the body of a patient including means for securing in.thereon, a supporting member hingedly secured to said anchor memberincluding means for securing same in adjusted positions and having anhumerus rest secured there en, and a fore-arm rest having a slottedarcuate bar adjustably secured on said supporting memand provided with asecuring bolt applied so that said slotted bar has tilting andlongitudinal adjustment on said supporting member;

JOE J. ETTINGER.

1. a Jim

